FLOWER ROOT OF SEARCH SEARCH HUNTS SABOTAGEOFFICIALS SEEK PROOF OF DESTROYED HABITAT.

Byline: Kathleen Sweeney Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - State Fish and Game officials have scoured the Newhall Ranch site for evidence that The Newhall Land and Farming Co. systematically destroyed habitat of an endangered flower, according to a court document obtained Thursday.

State officials combed through the proposed 22,000-home site last week searching for signs that a company project described as an agave farm was actually an effort to rid the land of habitat consistent with the endangered San Fernando Valley spineflower.

Newhall Land officials did not return a phone call late Thursday after the documents were released.

Fish and Game officials wouldn't comment on the search warrants, saying there is an ongoing investigation.

The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office is assisting the state agency in the investigation, but also would not comment.

State officials obtained a warrant to search the property for stems, plants and other remains of the spineflower, once believed extinct, after the developer prohibited the state agency from entering its property west of Santa Clarita.

The search came after county officials in November stopped grading on the project because the developer didn't have the permits needed to conduct the work.

At the time, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works issued the stop work notice after Fish and Game officials found machines grading an area and raised concerns that the work could be harming the environment.

Newhall Land officials have said the company didn't believe it needed the permits.

About 20 acres of land on the site had been graded before being leased to a farmer who planned to harvest agave plants, often used to make tequila.

But officials learned that the maturation of the agaves plants would take eight to 12 years and concluded Newhall Land ``is using the idea of an agave farm as a ruse to justify the systematic destruction of habitat that is consistent with the SFVS (San Fernando Valley Spineflower) habitat requirements,'' according to the documents.

The proposed development is undergoing a review before it returns to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for a vote.

As part of its review, the state asked Newhall Land to conduct additional environmental studies, including surveys for the spineflower, the document said.

The company discovered a population at the end of its surveys and told state officials they placed protective barriers around the plants.

When asked to see the protective barriers, Newhall Land officials sent the state an e-mail showing redwood poles depicting the barriers, the document said.

``There is no evidence of weathering on the poles,'' the document said. ``Poles that had been exposed to two seasons of winter would exhibit uneven coloration due to fading. It is my opinion that these poles were new and had recently been embedded into the ground.''

Steven Zimmer, vice president of the Newhall Ranch division, told state officials ``there was probably more habitat for the SFVS on Newhall Ranch, but they had not looked for the plant yet,'' the document said.

The company said it would survey for the spineflower as the development was implemented.

In April, the Board of Supervisors delayed for four months its vote on the Newhall Ranch project, touted as a minicity with residential, commercial and industrial development.

The board had previously approved the development, but environmentalist successfully challenged the project and a court found the environmental and water supply studies to be incomplete.